and set about introducing it to the country's college kids. Four decades later, the members of OCMS fit the profile of those early revivalists, yet if anything they have tapped deeper into the primal elements of an American art form. As demonstrated on their debut, they have assimilated not just the sound--banjos, harmonicas, acoustic guitar and bass--but more importantly the haunting spirit of music that was made to keep hard times at bay. How else to explain their ability to take a well-worn chestnut like "CC Rider" and infuse it with an energy that reveals once again why it is a classic? Not content to live completely in the past, they wrote "Big Time in the Jungle," which, though it is about Vietnam, could easily be transposed to 2004's de...  (less)

Was (Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, etc), who describes the band as "The Clash Of Bluegrass Music" and "the smartest and finest purveyors of American music to come down the pike in decades." The album itself offers a virtual American road trip, populated with characters that span a century of the South. Down and outers, hustlers, junkies and freighthoppers are just a few of the archetypes we meet along the way as OCMS continues to create their special blend of American roots, rock, blues and country music. The album also features two distinguished session musicians in drummer Jim Keltner (John Lennon, Neil Young, Brian Wilson) and organ player Benmont Tench (Tom Petty).  (less)

In 1892, he created a traveling show, "The Old Virginia Plantation Negro," including banjo tunes, nostalgic dialect stories and a lecture, without resorting to farce or black-face. The show glorified the plantation music and Negro spirituals that America was hungry for in the 'Gay '90s.' Mark Twain, upon hearing Miller and his Quartette exclaimed, "I think that Polk Miller, and his wonderful four, is about the only thing this country can furnish that is originally and utterly American." It is in this historical context that Tompkins Square reissues a CD of seven 1909 Edison cylinder records and seven 1928 QRS/Broadway disc recordings. The booklet includes photos and memorabilia with notes by African-American music scholar Doug Seroff. The CD package is designe...  (less)

Dallas, TX, in the early ‘90s. Their early singles and 1994 indie debut disc, Hitchhike To Rhome led to a trio of critically acclaimed and crowd-pleasing albums for Elektra, beginning with 1997’s stellar Too Far To Care and running through 2001’s Satellite Rides.  (less)

Overall, it's a set of amiable country pop, but the title track and "What About Georgia?," which open the disc, are rock songs at heart--driven by a hard-smacked snare drum and layers of guitar. But what's really at the core of these excellent performances is Lambert's romantic lyrics and versatile singing. When she's playing the angry lover in "Kerosene," she's loaded with punky attitude. When she's brokenhearted and moving on in "New Strings," her soft, delicate tones and gentle phrasing perfectly capture a rich blend of sadness and hope. There's even a bit of Dolly Parton's sweet vibrato and rustic charm in "Me and Charlie Talking," a nostalgic contemplation on love and life's simple virtues. Lambert authored or co-penned 11 o...  (less)

of the season--told through the voice of a small girl ("Jesus Gets Jealous of Santa Claus")--and other timely sentiments. Trouble is, Keith's not a great songwriter (although he's not bad storyteller). What adds to his shortcomings as a wordsmith are his melody lines, which generally sound punch pressed from that crass commercialized Nashville mold. Keith fans will enjoy the selections, however, and nearly anyone can appreciate the fact that he chose not to make a record of the same tired old standards played in the tired old contemporary-country way. --Martin Keller  (less)

are dramatized on these four, thematically programmed discs: Win, Place and Show: The Hits ; Old Favorites and New ; The Great American Songbook (mostly traditional songs); and Family and Friends (collaborations). For starters, consider the staggering depth and breadth of his repertoire (perhaps matched only by those of Bob Dylan and Ray Charles), embracing ancient folk tunes ("Streets of Laredo"), teen pop ("Ballad of a Teenage Queen"), mature contemporary rock ("Highway Patrolman"), gospel ("Were You There When They Crucified My Lord"), topical fare ("Ballad of Ira Hayes"), country standards ("Time Changes Everything"), novelties ("One Piece at a Time"), and more. Then there's the way his spare, spacious sound opens up to take in horns...  (less)

flexible rhythm section; wounded, piercing vocals; and unforgiving songs of rage, recklessness, and rejection. He then spends the rest of the CD refining it, song by song. As a writer, he has a real flair for imagery and the sturdy hook, and he also has good taste in remakes. Yes, there is some posturing; occasionally it feels like his nose for trouble, sense of despair, and wild eyes spring from listening to all the right records rather than out of anyone's real life. But for the most part, Hank III seems to come by these things the old-fashioned way: he earns them. Already. If he doesn't earn too much, he's going to do great things. --John Morthland  (less)

, the official elimination song on the Speed Channel's show Pinks , and finalists for Bon Jovi's 'Have a Nice Day' band competition, The Nadas have been steadily touring the country in Meatloaf's old tour bus, curiously dubbed...Meatloaf. Each release builds on a brilliant catalog of rock-meets-alt-country, and their ever-growing fanbase proves that their talent is truly authentic.  (less)

growing up. Thus it feels natural for country's grand old hippie Willie Nelson to record a CD of blues standards--especially since he wrote some of them (see: "Night Life"). Producer and featured guitarist Derek O'Brien lays down a funky but relaxed bed for the King of Laid-Back and some serious musical synergy with veteran guests like Dr. John and the aforementioned King. Kenny Wayne Shepherd's incendiary guitar on "Texas Flood" notwithstanding, the contributions of the younger contingent (Susan Tedeschi, Jonny Lang, Keb' Mo'), while heartfelt, seem more like perfunctory marketing ploys. Those who buy Milk Cow Blues for those names will be disappointed. Those who buy it for Willie will be delighted as he proceeds to show the youngsters (and all of us) what soul...  (less)

capture the country music legend at his most inspired. Commercial pressures meant that Williams rarely recorded gospel music for his releases; however, when he made these recordings for the Mother's Best Flour radio shows in 1951 Hank made sure that religious music was well represented. He performed old time jubilees, formal hymns, gospel songs and southern quartet music, and we've gathered them for this very special Hank Williams treasure. The Unreleased Recordings: Gospel Keepsakes includes a never-before-released version of one of the most popular hymns of the twentieth century, Williams classic I Saw the Light, as well as a previously unreleased version of the southern gospel standard Thirty Pieces of Silver.  (less)

Macon began his career about 1920, when he was fifty years old. He was one of the first authentic Southern folk musicians to record commercially and he helped found Nashville's famous Grand Ole Opry and was one of the first members of the Country Music Hall of Fame.  (less)